Seiho Hayakawa and Takuma Hosokawa think modern pop music is ¡°grotesque,¡± but that¡¯s exactly how they wanted the debut album by their band Sugar¡¯s Campaign to sound.

¡°We grew up in the 1980s and ¡®90s,¡± says Hayakawa, who also records solo under his first name, Seiho. ¡°Japanese pop music was very exaggerated, about life in a city that was pure fantasy.¡±

¡°Even look at Kyary Pamyu Pamyu,¡± adds Hosokawa, whose own solo project is called Avec Avec. ¡°She has a really cute image, but it is intentionally taken to the extreme, to the point of feeling creepy. We want to do that, with city pop.¡±